Penelope's Mom
10-04-2008, 05:57 PM
My pet squirrel, Penelope, is an 8 month old Foxer. I've noticed that her potty is rather dark (and has been since she was weaned a few months ago). I think maybe she has a UTI? She doesn't seem to have discomfort when going, and her potty smells like...potty (not especially stinky, just pee pee smell). I figured that maybe cranberries would help her if she did have a UTI, so I got her some Craisins, which she LOVES (in monitored moderation!), but her pee is still dark. I then decided maybe she needed to drink more water. She has access to water at all times, and will drink when, and ONLY when, she darn well pleases. Apparently the old saying "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink" holds true for squirrels as well. So, I don't know what else to do to help her if she does indeed have a bladder/kidney infection. She is otherwise completely healthy, active, and happy. No injuries to speak of, past or present. Can you recommed anything, or maybe someone out there can just let me know what color squirrel pee usually is? Maybe she's normal...
Penelope's Mom
10-06-2008, 08:14 PM
Oh, and her diet consists of nuts (mix of pistashios, pecans, walnuts, almonds-whichever she feels like eating on any given day), and I always offer her fresh fruits and vegetables (whether she decides to eat them or not is up to her entirely!). She's a little picky, but she does like fruit more than veg. I found the recipe for squirrel block on here, and I plan on whipping up a batch of that for her this weekend. And she LOVES avocados. I only offer her a slice a day, then I skip a week or two before I buy another one for her to nibble. She's kind of chunky, so I limit those due to the fat content. Is that necessary, or can she eat them to her heart's content?
4skwerlz
10-06-2008, 08:34 PM
Squirrel pee is usually light yellow when fresh, but does dry to a much darker color. It also gets stinkier as it dries.
A note on her diet. They cannot stay healthy on a diet of mostly nuts. Penelope's diet MUST be at least 70% rodent block or squirrel blocks. If she doesn't like any brand of commercial rodent block, you can make homemade squirrel blocks. Below is the "Healthy Diet" for pet squirrels.
Healthy Diet for Pet Squirrels
(Revised March 21, 2008)
Your squirrel needs a balanced diet containing protein, fat, and vitamins and minerals, including lots of calcium. Feed a variety of foods from each category in the amounts indicated. Note: Amounts are for a 450-gram (1 pound) squirrel, and should be adjusted as necessary depending on your squirrel’s weight. For squirrels that are older, overweight, or less active, you should limit foods that are high in sugars, starches, or fat.
1. Rodent Block—2-4 small blocks per day. Below are two of the best:
Harlan Teklad 2014 and 2018 Rodent Diets. The cadillac of rodent chows. Vegetarian formulas contain no preservatives, phytoestrogens, or nitrosamines. The 2014 is a low-fat, low-protein formula suitable for older squirrels. The 2018 is for growing squirrels (under 18 months old). Store in the refrigerator. $5.00 for 5 lbs at the Crafty Rat:
http://www.craftyrat.com/Merchant2/m...tegory_Code=FS
KayTee Forti-Diet for Rats and Mice. A tasty vegetarian rodent diet available at pet stores. If you’re having trouble getting your squirrel to eat blocks, it can be a good choice. Does contain added sugars such as molasses, as well as preservatives for long shelf life. $3.47 for 2 lbs at Petco:
http://www.petco.com/product/5906/Ka...-Rat-Food.aspx
2. High-Calcium Vegetables—5-7 thumb-sized pieces per day. Arugula, beet greens, Belgian endive, carrots, celery, chicory, chinese cabbage (bok choy), cilantro (fresh), chrysanthemum flowers, collard greens, dandelion greens, escarole, fennel, kale, lettuce (looseleaf), mustard spinach, parsley (fresh), purslane, radicchio, radishes, romaine lettuce, squash (butternut; raw or cooked), swiss chard, turnip greens, watercress.
3. Other Healthy Veggies—2-3 pieces per day. Asparagus, artichokes, avocado**, bell peppers (green, red, or yellow), broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carnations, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, green beans, mushrooms (1 per week), okra, pumpkin, squash (all types; raw or cooked), sugar snap peas, sweet potato* (raw or cooked), zucchini.
*Somewhat higher in sugars/starches
**High in fat; also the skin and pit are toxic
Avoid: Dried vegetables, fresh corn, garlic, onion, palm hearts, potatoes, sprouts, yams
4. Wild Foods—Unlimited while in season. Magnolia cones, pine cones, pine branches and bark, branch tips of nontoxic trees, roses from your garden, wild rose hips, purslane, plaintain, lambs quarters, and dandelion greens can be gathered fresh daily. Look to see what the wild squirrels are eating in your area. Make sure the area wasn’t sprayed, fertilized, or treated with any chemicals.
5. Animal Protein. Live or dried mealworms, crickets, or live moths (2 per day). Another option is eggs (hard-boiled or scrambled, with the shell), cheese, or plain yogurt mashed with some fruit (1 tsp. per day). Mealworms are available live or canned from pet stores and online at http://www.exoticnutrition.com/Treat-Department.htm
6. Fruit—2 slices per day. Apple, apricot, bananas,* blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries* (sweet), cherries (sour), crabapples,* cranberries, grapefruit, grapes,* honeydew, kiwi, kumquats, lemon, lime, mangos,* navel oranges, nectarines, papaya, passion fruit,* peaches, pears, pineapple, pomegranates,* raspberries, strawberries, watermelon.
*Somewhat higher in sugars/starches
Note: Pits and seeds can be toxic, except for berries.
Avoid: Dates, dried fruit of any kind, figs, fruit juice, persimmons, plums, prunes, raisins.
7. Nuts/Seeds—Two per day, preferably in the shell. Acorns, whole roasted pumpkin seeds, and almonds are the healthiest, followed by hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, English walnuts, pecans, pistachios, and peanuts, in that order. Unlike other nuts/seeds, sesame seeds are an excellent source of calcium.
Avoid: Cashews, sunflower seeds, dried corn, pine nuts (will cause severe calcium loss).
8. Something to Chew On. Antlers, tree branches, sea shells, or a walnut-sized rock from outdoors provide trace minerals and keep teeth from overgrowing. A cuttlebone or other calcium/mineral block should be hung on the side of the cage.
Foods to Avoid Generally
-Packaged “squirrel food,” “pet treats,” or seed mixes.
-Starchy foods: pasta, bread, grains, seeds, rice, potatoes.
-Sugary foods: candy, cookies, dried fruit, banana chips, soda, fruit juices, sweetened yogurt, granola, sweetened breakfast cereals.
-Junk food: french fries, potato chips, pretzels, crackers, anything salted.
-Legumes: beans (kidney beans, lentils, etc.), peas, and soybeans; except for green beans and sugar snap peas in the pod.
-Artificial sweeteners like Nutra-Sweet or aspartame.
Also Important for Good Health:
Natural sunlight. 1 hour per day in an outdoor cage or screened porch during the warm months provides Vit D and will help keep your squirrel healthy. An open window screened with aluminum screening or hardware cloth is another option. Indoors, a full-spectrum light (FSL) for 8 hrs per day is the next-best thing; although it does not provide Vit D, it is believed to have other health benefits.
Maintaining a Healthy Weight. Being overweight causes all kinds of health problems and is a major factor in diabetes in older animals. “Healthy weights” may vary: northern squirrels tend to be heavier than southern squirrels, and foxers are heavier than greys. In general, your pet should look like the healthy wild squirrels in your area.
Squirrel Blocks: Revised Test Recipe
For Adult Squirrels (over 12 months old)*
Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
Dry ingredients:
3 scoops* Pure Whey Protein Isolate
2 scoops** pecan meal or ground pecans (or 19 halves chopped fine)
2 scoops almonds or walnuts, chopped fine
1 scoop wheat bran, unprocessed
3 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
Vitamin mix:
1 tablet Vitamin B-12 (each tablet has 100 mcg)
4 tablets Vitamin B-complex (contains 100% human RDV)
16 tablets Calcium + D (each tablet has 500 mg calcium + 125 IU Vit D)
4 tablets Calcium (each tablet has 600 mg calcium carbonate)
2 tablets potassium gluconate (595 mg)
Wet ingredients:
1 whole egg
4 tbsp plain nonfat yogurt
4 tbsp natural peanut butter
2 gels Cod liver oil (1000 mg)
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Place dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix well. In a smaller bowl, crush vitamins to a fine powder and mix well. In another small bowl, place wet ingredients and mix well.
Now add the vitamins to the wet ingredients and mix well, then pour this into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until dough sticks together. It will be fairly dry, like a pie crust or biscuit dough. Wearing gloves or with your bare hands, form the dough into a ball and place it onto a lightly greased surface and knead lightly. Then roll dough out into a long snake, divide into two snakes and roll again. Cut into 60 pieces with a sharp knife and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
Allow the blocks to cool for at least 2 hours. Then place into zip-lock bags and STORE IN THE FRIDGE. You can also freeze them. They keep very well in the freezer for at least a month. Some squirrels enjoy eating them frozen, but you can also put the frozen block into the microwave for about 10 seconds to warm it up.
Feed 2-3 per day for a 1-pound (450 g) squirrel. Different squirrels will have different energy requirements.
Penelope's Mom
10-12-2008, 10:41 AM
I quit giving her the craisins-now she's on the diet recommended above, much to her dismay. Yesterday I only gave her a couple (2 or 3) pistachios, and the rest were fruits and veggies from the list. She refused to eat the Rodent Block I bought her, but I keep offering it to her. She takes it and hides it, so hopefully she'll eat it later when I'm not looking :dono
She's taking the butternut squash and eating it, but other than that I can't get her interested in the other foods (greens, etc). I will persist and eventually I'm sure she'll give in.
She is not in a cage on her porch. She hates being in her cage and rubs her head on the bars, so I screened in my porch for her. I didn't think about her actually chewing the screen! She hasn't so much as nibbled it so far. Hmm, I'm going to have to come up with something else to do with her while I'm at work, I guess. Should I keep her in her cage all day? It just seemed unfair to me because she can't get enough exercise in there-it's a bunny cage I got to keep her in once she started getting big enough to start climbing. Any suggestions as to what I can do to ensure she won't escape the porch screen?
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